*h'l^\ ''"<> ' ' i t> . ft'. ' { I V ?.' yC> » '<^. r-^^ 7, , 'X' S ^"-n^. "»' <^^^ "'° ,%^ "V •- .^° ' = o^ *' > V % y •^. m^" ^^ X •^•° / ^ ^"^ rV^^^': ^o v^ ^0 ° <^- o^O. ^<^^ " O ' <^^ N \^ \> ,V r'. ^ -^ ^y^^* ^ ^ ..0^ ^P-^^^ -A .0 * 4^ <o ^..<< - .V THE RECORDS ^ f OF THE SALEM COMMONERS 1713-1739 COPIED BY " GEORGE FRANCIS DOW [From the Historical Collections of the Essex Institute, Volumes xxxvi-xxvix.l ' SALEM, MASS. PRINTED FOR THE ESSEX INSTITUTE 1903 SALEM COMMONERS RECORDS, 1713-1739. COPIED BY GEORGE FRANCIS DOW. First Booke of records of Minutes of y*' proprietors of y® Common lands in Salem & of their first Meeting which was y^ 29 Day of June 1713. A list of y^ proprietors as uel Golthites Junr in Salem 5 Daniel Epes Esqr 2 SALEM COMMONERS RECORDS, 1713-1739. [List of the proprietors] thiit attended y"^ proprietors Meeting in y*" Low ro(tnie where wee tir.sl began it, John Marsh Sen'" 1 Samuel Golthite 1 John Hutchison I Daniel Andrews 3 Wni Upton 1 Daniel Mackintire 1 Samuel Upton 1 Abraham Locyer 1 John Putnam Jun^' 1 John Nicholls 2 James Gould Sen"" 1 Stephen Sewall 2 Cap* John Gardner 2 Memorand". There was mr John Traske L* Jeremiah Neal Willard & Severall others to y® Number of about a doz° was at y'' beginning of y® Meeting with & seemed to Join with vs whilst y'' warrant was read & Seuerall debates & appeard to be a concurrence betwixt y'' proprietors & Cottagers viz that thay would choofse aConiitte ol both forts to Move to y^ Generall Court an Explanation of y'^ Law referring to Cottnges which all would set downe on & yet to y'" Surprise of Many of vs mr Jn*^ Trafke Sen'" Just as y** Moderator was chose slipt one of y'^ original warrants oft' y'" Table & put it in his pocket & nioued out of y*^ roome with about 10 or a Doz'^ more followed him & went vp in y*" Chamber oner y^ roome where wee were Met & tho wee fent to them to come & proceed on y*^ buf isness of y*" Meeting as they had begun but they did not comei Attest Stephen Sewall Cler. to y*^ proprietors of y" Common Lands in Salem. Salem June 29 1713 Salem ss Salem June 29 1713. j At a Meeting of y'' proprietors of y^ common and vn- divided Lands In Salem at y*' house of Samuel Golth wight Jun Inholder within y*" s*^ Towne by vertue of a warrant under y*" hand & Seal of John Legg Esq"" one of Her i\Iaj^'''* Justices of y"" peace for y'^ said County directed to mr John Traske sen'" one of y" proprietors as aforesaid who warned & gaue Notice of y® Said Meeting by posting a 1 Written on the outside of tliis iiaper is tlie followinp: — A list of those tliat were at ye proprietors meeting at Samuel Golthites June 29 17J3 & were no start- ers as some few did or were. SALEM COMMONERS RECORDS, 1713-1739. 3 Notifycation thereof on y'' Meeting house of y^ new pre- cinct in Salem purfuant to Law as by y® original warrant & Notification fild apears. After y'' warrant was read & some confiderable debate & difcourse Cap* Jonathan Putnam was chosen Moderator. Stephen Sewall was chosen Clerk SepIIesV'"^'**''"^''*''"''' I 5 to y® proprietors. Chosen for a comitte as agents & Trustees for y° pro- prietors afores*^ & for Making proposals for y^ fencing & Stinting or Diuiding y*' Comon lands, viz : Col° John Higginson Esq'' Cap^ Samuel Gardner Majo"" John Turner Cap* Jonathan Putnam & Stephen Sewall. Voated That y^ Said Comitte or y" Maj^' part of them shall haue full power to call a Meeting of y*' proprietors as they shall see meet or as they shall be requested by fine or more of y'' proprietors by posting a Notifycation thereof on y^ first Meeting house door at y*' Towne & at y*" other Two Meeting houses within y® Two precincts fourteen dayes before y® Meeting is to be held Inferting in y® warrant or Notifycation what y^ Meeting is for vnder y^ proprietors clerks hand. Voted That y® Reverend Mr. Joseph Green, Mr. Ben- jamin Prefcot & Samuel Marble are admitted to y*' priui- ledge of Commonage. The foregoing being all y*" business specifyed in y^ war- rant the Meeting was difsolu'd by y° Moderator. Att A Meeting of y^ agents or Trustees for y** proprie- tors of y*" Common vndiuided lands in Salem August y® 3*i 1713. psent John Higginson Esq^" Cap* Samuel Gard- ner Majo'" John Turner & Stephen Sewall, Ordered & agreed as followeth viz. that there be a proprietors Meeting at y*' first Meeting house in Salem within y*" Bridge where publique Meetings vfualy are afsembled y'^ last Munday of this Instant August at Ten of y® Clock in y® Morning for y® bufsiness Exprest in y^ warrant or Notifycation following. Whereas, Col*^ John Legg of Marblehead Esq^" one of Her Maj"es Justcis of y^ peace for y'^ Countey of Essex by vertue of an act pafsed in y*' great & General court of this province in March 17 }i Intiteled an act directing how Meetings of proprietors of lands lying in common May be 4 SALEM COMMONERS RECORDS, 1713-1739. called did grant a warrant directed to Mr John Trafk Sen'' of Salem Inpovvring him to giue Notice to y^ proprietors of y^ Common lands in Salem to Meet together at y° iiouse of Mr Samuel Golthites Jun^" in Salem on y" 29 Day of June 1713, which Notice y*' Said Trask did giue vnto y® said pro- prietors by posting vp said Warrant and Notifycation thereto anext on y° new precinct Meeting houfs in Salem timely as y^ law provides and there being y'^ day aforesaid a Considerable Number of y® proprietors of y*" s^' Common lands in Salem Met & alsembled at y® said Golthites house on said Day after the reading of y*" said warrant to y*' s^ Afsembly & Some debates had thereabout y® proprietors met as afores*^ by vertue of s*^ Warrant proceeded to Make choice of Cap* Jonathan Putnam of Salem their Moderator who vpon Motion of y® said afsembly put Stephen Sevvall to voat to be Clerke to y® proprietors whom y® s^ afsem- bly did by a Cleer voat choose to be their Clerke & was accordingly Imediatly Sworn to y*^ faithfuU discharge of that office & they then proceeded to y'' choice of fiue per- sons to be a Comitte viz John Higginson Esq'' Ca|,' Sam- uel Gardner Majo"" John Turner Cap* Jonathan Putnam & Stei)hen Sewall as agents or Trustees & amongst other things Inpowring them or y*^ Majo'" part of them to Call a proprietors Meeting as they should see meet or at y^ Motion of fiue or more of y*^ proprietors as in & by y** records of y® said proprietors may at large appear. And Whereas y® said Comittee thinking it highly Necef- sary that something be done by y^ proprietors of y*' Corn- on land in Salem for y*^ Setting of them in a right Manner, Haue thought Fitt & doe hereby giue Notice to all y° pro- prietors of y*' Common & vndivided Lmds in Salem such as are so by y® Law of this province made in y*' fourth year of y^ Reign of King William & Queen Mary referring to Cottages, 1661, & a voat of y*' Towne of Salem at a legal Meeting in y'' year 1702 purfuant to y*^ same act or law in folio 23 of this province Law booke, that they meet together at y^ Meeting house in y^ Towne of Salem within y^ Bridge on y® last Mimday of this Listant Month of August at Ten of y*^ Clock in y*^ forenoon then & there to Make choice of a Comitte of Sutable Indifferent men to consider of what May be meet to be done in a Just & SALEM COMMONERS RECORDS, 1713-1739. 5 Equal way for y^ Stating of y*' proprietyes in & to y^ said Common Lands according to Law & Equity & make their report of their opinion therein vnto y*' Next proprietors meeting to be then apointed for that End that So the pro- prietors & y® propriety may be knowne allowed & record- ed & may proceed in a regular way for y^ future & y* y® Gierke gine out warrants or notices timely accordingly. Salem, August 3*^ 1713. John Higginson Sam' Gardner Jno Turner Stephen Sewall Q , > Att A proprietors Meeting purfuant to y^ tjaiem ss, j ^j.^^j^g Warrant. August 31, 1713. It being objectd by some of y" proprietors that y*^ or- riginall proceeding on y*^ tiist warrant was not legal & fair viz. that it was not Notifyed by posting it vp in y'^' most publique ])Iace in y'' Towne but without y^ Bridge & y' y® place of that first Meeting was apointed at a houfe not capable of Entertaining for such an affair y** ^ or ^ part of y*' proprietors of y® Towne on Consideration whereof voated on y° atirmation that this Meeting is continued vn- till y® hist Munday of the next October to consider & ad- vife whether y® foundation was good viz, whither y** first meeting was lejialy warned all things considered & So To Try it by a voat accordingly & if good to proceed to a Comitte. October 26, 1713. Att A Meeting of y*^ proprietors. That in consideration of y*^ objections made against y® orriginal warning of y® proprietors Meeting of y^ Common lands in Salem at Samuel Golthites by vertue of a warrant from Col" John Legg Esq"^" who mett y*" 29 June 1713 was not duely & Conveniently warned, Wherefore voated in all that all y® proceedings thereon y« [ ] of it first & last is null & void.